Bridge Problem 257

Bridge Problem by Patrick Jourdain

Bridge Problem 257 for June 2011

South opens a constructive Two Hearts and West reaches Four Spades rather than the easy Three Notrumps. North leads ♥Q and South overtakes with the king. How should West play?

West East

♠ A K J 10 6 ♠ Q 3

♥ A 5 2 ♥ 8 7 3

♦ K Q 3 ♦ A 5 4 2

♣ 6 5 ♣ K 8 4 3

An answer to Bridge problem 257

Assume South has six hearts and the ace of clubs. West must win the first heart, draw FOUR rounds of trumps and follow with three top diamonds ending in dummy. Assume South shows out on the second or third round. Now lead the fourth diamond.

If South keeps two clubs and two heart winners ruff the diamond and throw South in with a heart to lead a club at the end. If South keeps three heart winners and so has bared his club ace then ditch a losing heart on the diamond. North wins and does best to play another diamond if he can, but again you ditch a heart. Now North can only play a club which you duck to South’s now-bare ace, making a trump and a club at the end.

A non-prize problem for June 2011

West East

South opens One Heart and West reaches Four spades. North leads a heart. West wins and cashes the top trumps. Both defenders follow but the queen does not fall. How should West continue?

West East

♠ A K 8 5 3 ♠ J 7 4

♥ Q ♥ A 6 5 4

♦ A K 10 6 ♦ Q J 8

♣ 9 7 2 ♣ K 8 3

An answer to a non-prize problem

This deal comes from the 1997 Mixed Pairs in Tel Aviv when your reporter, Patrick Jourdain, partnered Pam Granovetter who was defending in the South seat. She held:

♠ Q 9 6 ♥ K J 10 9 7 2 ♦ 5 4 ♣ A Q

Declarer rattled off four rounds of diamonds throwing a club from dummy on the fourth round. If South ruffs declarer gets a club ruff as the tenth trick. But Granovetter refused to ruff, instead of discarding hearts. Declarer now had to play a club. South won, drew dummy’s last trump, and the defense made three club tricks to defeat the game.

Declarer has to throw a heart on the fourth diamond and duck a couple of clubs to make the tenth trick. The club discard was a mirage.